As she was handed the folded up piece of paper in full glare of MPs, journalists in the Commons gallery and the TV cameras above, Angela Rayner said she knew 'this was not good '.
"I read between the lines on that, because you don't get a note saying the Queen's unwell if she has a bit of a cough or cold."Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner joins members of the public filing past the Queen's coffin during her lying in stateFellow presenter Emily Maitlis asked her:"What was going through your head?"
The MP for Ashton-under-Lyne went on:"Before that news, it was the most important news of the day, so to get a note... saying he needs to leave the chamber....I felt the gravity of it."She said in that instant, on a personal level, she felt"incredibly sombre" but that quickly switched to thinking of a way to get the news to Sir Keir without disturbing him too much from what was an"incredibly important" televised speech to Parliament.
"I was trying to think how to get this note to him..... if someone is trying to give you information when you're in the middle of speaking, it's the most distracting thing, so I was waiting for the opportunity to do it. "I was kind of waiting for my opportunity, and then I looked over at Mr Speaker, and he was giving me the nod to say 'this is actually quite urgent,' ie. don't wait long."After they left the Chamber, Cabinet Secretary Simon Case explained to both of them what was happening.
At 12.20pm, Buckingham Palace announced the Queen's doctors were concerned for her health, with senior members of the royal family travelling to Balmoral Castle in Scotland to be with her.Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video playerMs Rayner added:"We had all known the Queen was getting very frail and there had been conversations about what would happen ............but it was still such a shock - it changed everything.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Fracking for shale gas ban lifted by government in energy security driveThe government has lifted a ban on fracking for shale gas, in place since 2019 after a series of tremors, even though a review concluded that forecasting fracking-induced earthquakes “remains a scientific challenge”
Read more »
Queen Elizabeth II statue in Trafalgar Square gets MPs' supportCalls for Her Majesty to be honoured on the Fourth Plinth are met with support in the Commons.
Read more »
Who is on BBC Question Time tonight, where is it and who is host Fiona Bruce?Who is on BBC Question Time tonight, where is it this week and who is host Fiona Bruce?
Read more »
Russia planning to rig sham votes in Ukraine to create pretext for war, Foreign Secretary warnsMPs have urged the British Government to take Vladimir Putin's threats of nuclear escalation more seriously
Read more »
Angela Rayner reveals moment she was given the note on the Queen’s health‘You don’t get a note saying the Queen is unwell if she just has a cough or cold, so I felt the gravity of it. Angela Rayner has recalled the harrowing moment she was passed a note in the Commons and realised the Queen was dying.
Read more »